i was reading your messages as I am trying to get information for a cruise me and my wife Doris are going on in July and I couldnt help noticing the message from Sooty. I knew a Sooty while I was in basic training for the army. I wonder if by any chance this is the same sooty? The chap I knew was called Sooty Smith and he was from Catford. He was a good fella but didn't last in the army for very long. His shooting was appalling and when he used the bayonet he would constantly missed the dummy. It was later found out that he had a glass eye and couldn't see properly. He said he joined the army to get away from his mum who he said was worse than the officers. Sooty had one leg shorter than the other and we had such a laugh watching him marching as he would always veer off to the left (his shorter leg). I got in trouble once for laughing at him and lost my privileges for a week (I wasn't allowed to write to my Doris or anything). Anyway I just wondered if it is the same Sooty?